Ride to raise awareness about violence

By Frank Neill

Preparations for this year’s White Ribbon Awareness Ride are well under way, and the two main organisers are Wainuiomata residents.

Mahu Rawiri and Ngahaka Puketapu-Deys are both passionate about the White Ribbon initiative, which aims to help end violence by men.

This will be the fifteenth White Ribbon Awareness Ride by the Super M ori Fullas, following the group’s first ride in 2009.

“We are passionate about helping our people and educating them that domestic violence is not very good,” Mahu Rawiri told the “Wainuiomata News”.

“Lower Hutt has the highest rate of domestic violence in New Zealand, so what better place to start the ride.

“We’re going to ride from Waiwhetu Marae up to the Cape, picking up Super M ori Fullas on the way.”

Many of the riders come from the Wellington area and will also start the trip in Lower Hutt.

The main aim of the ride is to raise awareness of the white ribbon programme. “We are not out there to raise money. All we are about is to raise awareness.

“Domestic violence affects our people as a whole,” said Mahu who is also one of the founders of White Ribbon.

This year there will be a strong focus on providing anti-violence resources to small communities where there is often little information on the services available.

“With our ride, hopefully we can take a lot of the information to our people in the rural areas and give them the information so they can contact these services,” Mahu said.

Three days before the White Ribbon Ride, on 16 November the

Super M ori Fullas will travel from Poneke to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga). Following a karakia at Cape Reinga they will then travel back to Poneke ready to begin the White Ribbon ride itself.

This will begin at Waiwhetu Marae on 19 November with stops in Levin and Waverley as the convoy travels to Parihaka where they will spend the night.

The next day they will travel to Stratford and Taumaranui before stopping in Turangi for the night.

On 21 November the ride will travel from Turangi to Rotorua, Kawerau and Whakatane before stopping at Opotiki.

From there they will travel around the East Cape and stay the night in Gisborne. The next stop will be Nuhaka, and the riders will then return to Waiwhetu Marae on 24 November.

“We are hoping to have a big White

It’s

Ribbon Day on the 25th, but that is not organised yet,” Mahu said.

After completing the White Ribbon Ride, the Super M ori Fullas will once again travel back to Cape Reinga to complete the kaupapa, with a karakia to acknowledge those who have left.

“Anyone wishing to join the riders are more than welcome,” Ngahaka and Mahu say.

One of the rules of the ride is that nobody can wear back patches. The kaupapa is also alcohol and drug free.

“We have had national presidents drop their patches just to do the ride,” Mahu said, noting that both Mongrel Mob and Black Power Presidents had taken off their gang patches when joining the Super M ori Fullas. ”It was spine-chilling for us to see them drop their patches,” he added. The Super Maori Fullas currently hold the mauri for the White Ribbon Riders in Aotearoa, which was handed them by Phil Paikea at Takahiwai Marae, Ruakaka, Northland. The group has 12 core riders, and they will also take a back-up vehicle with them to carry their resources and luggage.